electricity used in USA do we use AC or DC?

Answer 1

Personally, I use both forms every day. My house outlets are AC; my car runs on DC.

Answer 2

The power distribution grid in the US is all at 60Hz AC - with a few esoteric exceptions. The outlets in your house are nominally 120VAC, or 240VAC (dryers, stoves, etc).

AC is generally much more efficient for power transmission than DC because it can be stepped up to very high voltages and stepped back down before it goes into your house. This reduces ohmic losses significantly. Although AC is used for power distribution, most electronics actually run off of DC. Anything that is battery powered is DC, and it is common that the AC will be converted to DC in those large plug-in cubes that come with everything.

Automotive systems are almost always DC - so that is why you see DC and AC floating around so much.

One thing to note....I don't know of any country that actually uses DC for power transmission...They all use AC but at different voltages and frequencies.

Answer 3

Both are used, though as someone else pointed out AC is the electricity available through the wall outlet in your home. DC would be pretty much anything that is battery powered.

For instance, my computer is hooked up to the AC wall outlet, but my cordless mouse has DC batteries.

Answer 4

Houses will typically run on AC....most cars run on DC.

Answer 5

USA standard power distribution and secondary systems are all 60 Hz AC.

Answer 6

out of the outlet we have 120v ac at 60 hz

Answer 7

residential voltages are 120V AC . And 220V AC

Answer 8

The USA uses DC, as indicated on the plug of just about anything you can find.